Process and apparatus for mixing dry lime with liquids.



J. W. ADAMS 6L 0. H. EGGE. Pnocsss Aun APP/mus Fon mxms [mums wml uoums.1,269,994.

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` Patented June 18, 1918.

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Patented June 18, -l9l&

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2I UNITED STATES PATENT -oEEicE TAKES WALTER ADAMS AN'DOTTO HENRY EGGE, 0F SPRECKELS, CALIFORNIA.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application ma rebruary 24, 1917. serial No. 150,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES WALTER ADAMS and '1'10 HENRY ESGE, citizensof the United States, residing at Spreckels, in the county of Montereyand State of California, have invented new and useful lmprovements inProcesses and Apparatus for Mixing Dry Lime with Liquids, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates in general to processes and apparatus forapplying dry powdered lime to sugar solutions and pertains particularlyto an improvement in processes and apparatus for distributing limeevenly to the surface of the solutions to be treated.

The invention includes the process and means for maintaining the limeparticles in a dry condition until they are actually proq` jected intothe sugar solution.

One object of the invention is to distribute the lime evenly over aspecified area of the surface of a body of sugar solution and toaccomplish this and'provide the desired resultant mixture and avoid thecommon fault caused by the formation of thick lime deposits on the wallsof the treatment chamber and cooler.

By the present invention we overcome the f difficulty experienced in theuse of other distributers in which the fine lime settles on the foam inthe cooler and treatment chambers which forms a. crust of limeeventually carried into the circulating well of the apparatus used. Thecrust is commonly found not in a finely divided state but in lumps andas such does not re-act with the sugar but hydrates or slacks when mixedwith a solution thus producing heat which is un- V desirable andrendering the lime inactive and useless.

Further the present invention renders 1t diff-cult for the lime tocollect on the sides of cooler wall or on the sides of the walls of thetreatment chamber. Heretofore this collection of lime has fallen olf inchunks and dropping into the solution has raised the temperature of thesolution as above noted or lodged in lumps in the circulating tube,plugging these tubes and often making iL necessary to cut the cooler andentire apparatus out of service so that thestructure may be opened upand cleaned. The present invention also makes it possible to apply thelime more quickly because of the high eiliciency of the same.

rll`he present invention renders possible the desirable equaldistribution .of powdered lime over a specied area of the coolersolution in such a manner that a uniform quantity of lime is constantlycoming in contact with a uniform and proportionate amount of sugarsolution. The present invention renders this function in the mostefficient manner by conveying the lime to the solution in the shortestpossible time after it leaves the feeding device and enters thetreatment chamber and also by preventing the lime from coming intocontact with the moist air in the treatment chamber previous to theprojection of the lime into the liquid.

Other features of the invention and details of operation will be setforth in the following specilication and claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 represents a view of theoutside of a machine embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 represents a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 andillustrates in section the construction of the lime distributing devicewithin the treatment chamber.

Referring in detail to the drawings 1 indicates the cylindrical wall ofthe main treatment chamber inclosing the lime distributing device in theupper portion and the cooling apparatus in the lower portion. The coolerpipes or tubes are indicated by v2 and the space surrounding these pipesfor the body of the cooling solution is indicated by 3. ln the lowerhalf of the chamber 1 and arranged around the inside of the chamber arethe cooling pipes 2 providing a central well lvvhich is substantiallycylmdrical in shape. A cover plate extends across the top of the well 4land is provided with open ings therethrough 5a. The inlet and outlet forthe sugar solution are indicated by 5" and 5 respectively. v'llhesolution is supplied to the casing until the level is reached asindicated by X opplosite the sight glass l", and circulation of t esolution is effected by the propeller wheel 6 located at the bottoml ofthe wellll. The operation of the wheel 6 forces the material at thebottom of the casing 1 upwardly through the cooling pipes 2 into thelower part of the upper casing, *Here the solution flows ,Centrally overthe cover 'plate 5 and is drawn downwardly by gravity and the action ofthe propeller wheel 6. Extending downwardly from the upper end of thecasing 1 and situated substantially centrally thereof is the metalcasing or housing 7 -for conveying the particles of lime 'which are tobe distributed. The lowerinost end of the casing 7 is somewhat enlargedand extends` slightly beneath the upper surface of the material of theff sugar solution. Located immediately above the surface of the solutionand in the lower end of the casing 7 is the 'distributing and propellingfan member 8 the function of which is to evenly divide the dry limeparti# cles and to project the same downwardly and into the sugarsolution immediately below the member 8 -and within. the contines of theend of the casing 7. Suitable actuating power is supplied by means of ashaft 9' which is supported at its lowermost end by bearing 9E1 securedto the casing 1 by means of the brace 9. The lime is conveyed to thecasing ,7 :trom a distributing scroll 10 to which the lime is conveyedby connection 11 having a flexible joint -10a with the scroll l0, from ahopper and weighing scales 12.

Located in the upper half of the chamber 1 y ot' the casing 7, When thedistributor 8 andv the propeller wheel 6 are moved the nely divi ed dryparticles of lime are projected onto the surface of the sugar solutionwithin the casing 7. During .this movement the sugar solution has aconstant iowing movement toward the center` of the casing 7 to a.

point beneath the casing 7 and from this position downwardly through theopenings 5E. \The dry lime particles are effectively prevented fromcomin into contact with lthe ot moist air within t e chamber 1 andoutside of 'the casing 7 by the action of the sugar solution coveringthe lowermost end of the casing 7 and substantially providing an airseal at that point. The member 8 is constructed in such a manner thatwhen' it rotates, it throws the lime downwardly and at the same timespreads it uniformly over the solution directly under the housing or imccasing 7. The invention prevents the particles from being thrown againstor otherwise coming into contact with the inner walls of the chamber 1before being thorinceste oughly co-mingled with the sugar solution. Thelime has no opportunity to sialic before being projected into thesolution because of the operation of the air seal at the bottom of thecasing.

From the foregoing it will be clear that the amount of lime necessaryfor the treating of a given portion of-sugar solution is reduced to aminimum because'of the ellicient distribution of the lime over thesurface of the solution treated. This eliioient operation makes possiblethe increased oapacity of the4 apparatus as a whole and the resultanttreatment of a larger daily amount of solution.

The process and apparatus described herein may be applied to the mixingof .any dry particles orsubstances to any solutions or liquid and is notlimited to the combination of powdered lime to sugar solution.

RWhat we claim is 1. The process of applying a hygroscopic 'powder in adry state to a duid which comprises the mechanical distribution of a drypowdered material evenly over a substantially smooth horizontal part orthe surface ot the Afluid to be treated without contact by the powderedmaterial with the damp air in contact with the remainder of the surfaceof the duid.

2. The process of applying dry powdered lime to sugar solutions whichconsists in spreading and forcibly progecting the-dry powdered limeevenly on a substantially smooth horizontal part of the surface of theduid to be treated without contact by the dry powdered lime with thedamp air in contact with the remainder out the surface ot the fluid. 1

3. The process of applying dry powdered lime to sugar solutions whichconsistsin forcibly projecting and evenly distributing dry limeparticles over a specc and substantially smooth horizontal area on thesurface of a portion of the soliition to be treated 'and maintaining thesaid specific area hermetically separate :tromthe surface of 4theLremainder of fthe soluzion.

v. n a aratus or ap ying pow material li) dry state to ailuid whichcomprises a main treatment chamber ,adapted to contain a duid to betreated, a series of cooling tubes in the lower portion of said chamberproviding a central well, a rorate cover plate over the upper en of saidwell, circulating means for forcing the liquid upwardly through saidcooling 'tubes from which it is adapted to dow over and downwardlythrough said perforate cover plate, a downwardly projecting distributingcasing over said cover plate, and a distributing device within saidcasing adalpted to project particles of material even y over the :fluidover said cover plate.

5. An apparatus for applying hygrosccpic powdered material in a drystate to a uid which comprises a main chamber adapted to contain a fluidto be treated, a downwardly projecting distributin casing adapted toextend into the fluid win said chamber and within which the fluid tendsto rise to the level of that in said chamber, and a distributing devicewithin said casing for evenly distributing the particles ofpowdered'material over the surface of the fluid within said distributingcasin 6; An apparatus for appying hygroscopic powdered material in a drystate to a iuid which comprises a main chamber adapted to contain afluid to be-vtreated', a downwardly projecting distributin casin adaptedto extend into the fluid wit in sai chamber and within which the fluidtends to rise to the level of that in said chamber, and a distributingdevice within said casing for evenly distributin .the particles ofpowdered material over t e surface of 4thefiuid within said distributingcasing, comprising a rotary propeller fan member mounted to rotate on avertical axis immediately above the level of the liquid.

7 An apparatus for applying hygroscopic powdered material in a dry stateto a fluid which comprises a-main treatment chamber adapted to contain afluid to be treated7 a downwardly projecting distributing casin adaptedto extend into the fluid within said chamber whereby the fluidhermetically closes the lower end of said casing and preventsatmospheric communication between the interior of said chamber and theinterior of said casing, and a disterial over the level surface o thefluid, the

fluid within said chamber having a central flowing movement to a pointbeneath said distributing casing and downwardly therefrom.

9. An apparatus for ap lying hygroscopic powdered material in a ry stateto a fluid which com rises a main chamber adapted to contain a uid to betreated a downwardly projecting distributing casmg ada ted to extendinto the uid within said c amber, and a distributing device within saidca and adjacent the surface of the fluid forevenly projecting drydparticles of powdered material into said lui comprising a rotarypropeller member mounted to rotate on a vertical axis, the liuid withinsaid chamber having a central flowing movement toward a point, beneathsaid distributing casing and downwardly therefrom.

In testimony whereof we ax our signa.-

tures.

JAMES WALTER ADAMS. OTTO HENRY

